Chicago Ghostbusters
The Chicago Ghostbusters Nevermore Elementary Teacher (2013). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #7" (2013) (Comic p.23). Teacher says: "Now, kids, these are the Chicago Ghostbusters, and they use the same equipment as the Real-er-the New York Ghostbusters." is a franchise led by the Rookie. History At the conclusion of the battle against Ivo Shandor in Thanksgiving 1991, Rookie was offered the opportunity to expand the Ghostbusters with a franchise in either Chicago, Los Angeles, or Cincinnati. Peter Venkman elected to choose and evidently Chicago was chosen. For a couple years, Rookie was forced to work alone due to a bureaucrat's lack of cooperation and the inability to get union certification. Rookie (2012). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 1 Issue #13" (2012) (Comic p.3). Rookie says: "Do you know how hard it is to hire in this town when you can't technically get a union certification?" Rookie wasn't authorized to start a training program because of a city decision deeming him unfit to train employees. Rookie (2012). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 1 Issue #13" (2012) (Comic p.4). Rookie says: "I'm not allowed to hire locally until there's a training program, which I'm not allowed to start. The guy who makes that call just does not like me for some reason." Erik Burnham post IDW Forums 12/24/13 Erik Burnham says: "Rookie has to hire temps because of a city decision deeming him unfit to train employees. (Part of this may come from the fact that he is not an expert in the equipment he's using. By that I mean, if he were given a sack of parts I don't think he could build one. But hey, most couldn't.) Call it potentially crooked. Crooked politicians, potential union disagreement -- Rookie has a lot of hassles with expansion." He endured by exploiting whatever loopholes he could find such as hiring non-local temps from Minnesota for when something big came up and hired unwitting people to serve as bait. Rookie (2012). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 1 Issue #13" (2012) (Comic p.4). Rookie says: "Eh, I got a couple'a temps outta Minnesota, for when something big comes up. And I hire some schmucks to sit around as bait every once in a while when I need that, so I make do." One summer, Rookie was joined by the Ghostbusters and captured a Ghost Shark on North Lake Shore Drive near the John Hancock Center. In the following February, Rookie was too busy dealing with the ghost of a Prohibitionist who turned the Chicago River into non-alcoholic beer to help Janine Melnitz deal with the kidnapping of the Ghostbusters. Janine Melnitz (2013). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #4" (2013) (Comic p.8). Janine says: "I did. He was too busy - Chicago River turned to beer. Non-alcoholic beer. Ghost of a Prohibitionist." Three months later, the Ghostbusters returned and the New Ghostbusters were disbanded. Exploiting another loophole, Ron Alexander was sent to Chicago to work for the Rookie as a colleague and technician from the home office in New York. Erik Burnham post IDW Forums 12/24/13 Erik Burnham says: "Ron is a home office-provided colleague, and a technician, so there's that loophole. But beyond that...so much paperwork." Ron quickly took advantage of Rookie's affection for his namesake to boss him around, take all the credit, leave him to do the hard work, and flirt with women on the job. The duo later was hired to track down a Red Blob in a building. Ron was swallowed whole by the blob on the thirteenth floor while the Rookie went on a rant about being disrespected. In September, the Chicago Ghostbusters visited Nevermore Elementary School and spoke to a class of elementary students at 2 pm. The children argued they weren't the real ones but Ron quickly stepped in and did "crowd control." He opened up the room to a question and answer session. A student named Nigel asked if the Bogeyman was real. After the others jeered him for asking such a question, Ron confirmed the Bogeyman was real and told a story his grandmother told him. However, Rookie interjected and stated they never encountered one but due to the large amount of lore attributed to it, it was likely to exist. Another student named Jason declared they were full of it and insulted Ron's hair. The Chicago Ghostbusters were soon escorted off the school premises after Ron threw chairs at the students. The Chicago Ghostbusters were hired by Ilyssa Selwyn to examine a selection of newly discovered Gozerian artifacts before the Field Museum of Natural History debuted its World of Gozer exhibit to the public. Unbeknownst to them, Tiamat was present and invoked some chaos. A Gozerian artifact activated and the Man-Eaters of Tsavo were combined into one entity and animated. The Man-Eaters attacked Ron but Rookie detected the P.K.E. readings given off by the artifact and destroyed it. The Man-Eaters were reduced to a bloody lion skin. In the springtime, the Chicago Ghostbusters went to New York to help cover things for the wedding of Winston Zeddemore and Tiyah Clarke. At this point, there were wearing new navy blue flightsuits, a common color for coveralls in the Midwest. Erik Burnham post IDW Forums 1/17/14 Erik Burnham says: "I asked Luis to color 'em navy blue, yeah. Common color for coveralls (at least it seems to be in the Midwest) so it seemed natural." They formed a temporary team with Special Agent Melanie Ortiz and Kylie Griffin and pulled a lot of all-nighters. During the actual wedding, they faced the Five Points Killer at Bates CPA, PC and helped capture it. The Chicago Ghostbusters stayed on and helped the others confront Tiamat. A couple weeks later, the Chicago Ghostbusters aided the Ghostbusters in confronting Vigo on Hart Island. After the Hart Island battle, the Chicago Ghostbusters were called back to Chicago to deal with the ghosts of slaughtered cows from the stockyards of decades past who were running through the Magnificent Mile and goring the tourists. Dani Shpak and Lou Kamaka were hired and joined the Chicago Ghostbusters to help deal with the situation. They were able to trace and neutralize the source of the haunting before anyone was seriously hurt but the Chicago River burned for three days afterward. On October 2, Dani and Lou were contracted by Special Agent Ortiz for a case in San Antonio at The Alamo after she learned the New York branch was too busy to send personnel. The confused Alamo Ghost eluded them and caused some minor property damage until they were able to explain what was going on. The ghost regained its composure, apologized, and vanished. On October 30, Dani, Lou, and Ron were contracted by Special Agent Melanie Ortiz and flown out from Chicago to help deal with one of her investigation of the manifestation of Edward Quinn and a large herd of Ghost Buffalo on Highway 287. With help from the New York branch, they figured out Quinn's manifestation pattern and trapped him but the Ghost Buffalo remained instead of dissipating. A helicopter was requisitioned. Quinn was released in mid-air to attract the buffalo. A Megatrap was then activated and used to recapture Quinn and catch all of the Ghost Buffalo. The New York branch aided the Chicago Ghostbusters on an out-of-state case in Muncie, Indiana. After Kaia May delivered Loftur Þorsteinsson's ultimatum demanding the Rauoskinna for the restoration of Egon Spengler, Peter Venkman took the lead and barked out orders. He asked Janine to tell the Chicago Ghostbusters to clear their schedule and help them with searching for the key and map to the Rauoskinna. Peter added if they griped to remind them they owed them one for the Muncie case. The Chicago Ghostbusters went with Kylie to Japan and ventured into the Aokigahara Forest with a local guide. They encountered Yurei, or angry ghosts of those who committed suicide. Ron, Dani, and Lou distracted the Yurei with the atomizing stream option on their throwers while Kylie, Rookie, and the guide entered a cave to retrieve the Map to Nikulausson's Tomb. They encountered a guardian spirit who possessed the guide. Kylie memorized the map and destroyed it then trapped the ghost after it decided to keep the guide. The Chicago Ghostbusters took on a case in Milwaukee around the time Special Agent Melanie Ortiz investigated a haunted construction site in Roarke's Junction, Iowa. Special Agent Melanie Ortiz (2017). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Annual 2017" (2017) (Comic p.17). Melanie Ortiz says: "The Chicago branch is dealing with something in Milwaukee." Unable to contract them, Melanie asked the New York branch for Kylie and Ray. Kylie and Peter came. Back in Chicago, they were hired by a supervisor from The Trask Hotel. Ron spoke to him while their secretary Kim filed 13 302 forms. He informed the man they were running a hometown special on ghosts that looked like cows, bears, or socks. The ghost in question was neither. The Chicago Ghostbusters went to the Trask and met with the manager in the lobby. He was surprised they came so quickly and asked which one of them was Egon. Ron told him that was the other branch and asked what the problem was. The manager asked if they were aware of the Woman in Blue then talked about how the hotel enjoyed extra revenue from tourists seeking a safe ghost encounter. He wanted them to trap a new ghost that started coming around but was "mean." The team split up into pairs and searched the tenth floor, where the Woman in Blue was murdered. Lou and Ron found nothing on the Giga meter nor Rookie and Dani on the P.K.E. Meter. Unwilling to wait all night for the ghost to show up, Ron decided to test out his new Ghost Attractant spray. Lou found the smell horrible but the Killer showed up, brandishing knives. Ron atomized its right arm but it generated five more. Rookie and Dani pushed their way through a small flood of red ectoplam and arrived just in time. Dani wrangled the ghost while Rookie trapped it. Just as Rookie asked Dani if her "Spooky Chicago Tour Guide" had anything on the Killer in Black, the Woman in Blue appeared and confirmed it was the one who murdered her. Before she could finish thanking them, Ron trapped her and proceeded to extort a 40% return fee from the manager. On August 14, everyone except Rookie was contracted by Melanie to help put down a rapidly escalating situation in Las Vegas incited by the ghost of Ethan Kaine after he manifested and tapped into the power of a River of Slime under the city. The Chicago Ghostbusters took a case at Chicago's Trask Hotel and captured a malignant entity targeting a resident benign spirit. Weeks away from Halloween, the Chicago Ghostbusters were reunited on Liberty Island to help trap all of Connla's Army. Egon Spengler asked the rest of the Chicago Ghostbusters for their help in retrieving ghosts that escaped from the Containment Unit and escaped into the multiverse. All of the teams involved in the operation gathered in the Warehouse. Special Agent Melanie Ortiz borrowed Winston Zeddemore, Jillian Holtzmann of Dimension 80-C, Rookie, Dani, and Lou for a case that went unnoticed during the emergency. Rookie suggested a setting on the Ecto Goggles that would help them see through some of the Doom Ghost's fog. Dani picked up two readings with Holtzmann's P.K.E. Meter after they arrived at Fort Washington Park. Rookie didn't believe it at first but verified it with his meter. Holtzmann suggested splitting up and chose Lou and Dani for her team. The ghost proved difficult to wrangle and attacked Lou and Dani. Melanie, Rookie, and Winston eventually provided cover fire but the ghost vanished again. Lou and Dani yelled at Rookie for letting it get away. Rookie countered the fog was hard to navigate. Winston joked Ron's personality was contagious. Holtzmann realized the fog was the ghost and broke into the Lighthouse. She activated the searchlight and fog horn. Holtzmann's theory was correct and the ghost revealed its true form after its senses were rattled. Rookie readied a Trap and they soon captured it. The Chicago Ghostbusters volunteered to monitor the Containment Unit just in case anymore ghosts escaped while the other teams jumped to other dimensions in search of the missing ghosts. Lou and Ron were immediately contracted by Melanie to work a case in Duluth, Minnesota on December 1 involving the Fairlawn Mansion. Known Members *Rookie *Ron Alexander *Dani Shpak *Lou Kamaka Known Employees *Kim Known Vehicles *Ecto-15 Known Properties *Chicago Ghostbusters Headquarters Trivia *As displayed on Ecto-15, the Chicago Ghostbusters' phone number is 655-2187 **Adding in known area codes to the number, the only match being 312, the Chicago Ghostbusters' headquarters is in the Chicago Loop era, specifically The Loop, somewhere between West Monroe Street & South Canal Street and the Art Institute of Chicago. *In Ghostbusters International #3, page 23, the Chicago Ghostbusters' storage facility is mentioned for the first time. Spectral Incident Report (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #3" (2016) (Comic p.23). Line reads: "This cuts down on the potential for damage, repeat manifestations, and especially, escape from confinement en route to the New York or Chicago storage facilities." *In Ghostbusters International #8, on page 20, Peter mentions the New York branch helping the Chicago Ghostbusters on a case in Muncie, Indiana. **In April 2016, Erik Burnham did a signing at Aw Yeah Comics in Muncie. *In Ghostbusters International #9, the Chicago Ghostbusters bio sports a new logo of the branch. *In Ghostbusters International #9, page 12, panel 2, the current and entire roster of the Chicago Ghostbusters are seen together for the first time. *The Chicago Ghostbusters are the subject of the 15th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on April 10, 2018. It revealed their headquarters is located on Goose Island. TomWaltz Tweet 4/10/18 *The Chicago Ghostbusters are mentioned in Dani's bio on the 28th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on May 24, 2018. TomWaltz Tweet 5/24/18 *The Chicago Ghostbusters are mentioned in Lou's bio on the 29th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on May 29, 2018. TomWaltz Tweet 5/29/18 *The Chicago Ghostbusters are mentioned in Rookie's bio in the 30th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on May 31, 2018. TomWaltz Tweet 5/31/18 Appearances IDW Comics *Ongoing Series **Volume 2 ***Issue #5 ****The New Ghostbusters Stripped - The Rookie & Ron in "Blah Blab Blob" ***Issue #7 ****The New Ghostbusters Stripped - Featuring The Rookie & Ron Alexander in "Visitation" ***Issue #8 ****The New Ghostbusters Stripped - Featuring The Rookie & Ron Alexander in "Visitation" ***Issue #12 ****"Field Trip" ***Issue #13 ***Issue #15 ***Issue #16 ***Issue #17 ***Issue #18 ***Issue #20 ****Mentioned on page 23 **Volume 3 ***Ghostbusters International #1 ****Janine mentions the Chicago Ghostbusters on page 14 Janine Melnitz (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #1" (2016) (Comic p.14). Janine Melnitz says: "I mean we don't have it as bad as our Chicago branch but every Class VII incident makes it a little harder to get anyone new on staff." ***Ghostbusters International #2 ****Mentioned on page 23 Spectral Incident Report (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #2" (2016) (Comic p.23). Spectral Incident Report reads: "Lou Kamaka (see file on the Ghostbusters' Chicago branch for personnel history) defused the situation by playing decoy; she commandeered a police cruiser and led the crowds away from the arch by promising them "as many Ghostbusters as they could get their hands on"." ***Ghostbusters International #3 ****Mentioned on page 23 in the Spectral Incident Report Spectral Incident Report (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #3" (2016) (Comic p.23). Line reads: "Personnel Contracted: Dani Shpak, Lou Kamaka (Chicago branch)." ***Ghostbusters International #4 ****Mentioned on page 23 in Spectral Incident Report Spectral Incident Report (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #4" (2016) (Comic p.23). Spectral Incident Report reads: "As it was an unforeseeably busy time for both the Chicago and New York branches of the Ghostbusters, there was no other way to contract additional personnel to see to this matter." ***Ghostbusters International #5 ****Haunted America Case File only ***Ghostbusters International #7 ****Haunted America Case File only ***Ghostbusters International #8 ****Mentioned by Peter on Page 20 Peter Venkman (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #8" (2016) (Comic p.20). Peter Venkman says: "Tell our Chicago branch to clear their schedule - and if they gripe, you tell 'em they owe us for that thing in Muncie." ***Ghostbusters International #9 ***Ghostbusters International #10 ****Mentioned on What Came Before! Page What Came Before! Page (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #10" (2016) (Comic What Came Before! page). Narrator says: "The Ghostbusters - with the aid from an alternate dimension Egon Spengler, as well as the Chicago branch - have tracked down the map to and the key of the hidden tomb of Icelandic Bishop Gottskalk Nikulausson, a man who wrote a spellbook rumored capable of controlling the devil." ****Mentioned in the Spectral Incident Report on Page 23 Spectral Incident Report Page (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #10" (2016) (Comic p.23). Spectral Incident Report reads: "Lou Kamaka and Dani Shpak of the Chicago branch of Ghostbusters." ***Ghostbusters International #11 ****Mentioned in the Spectral Incident Report on Page 23 Spectral Incident Report Page (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #11" (2016) (Comic p.23). Spectral Incident Report reads: "Lou Kamaka and Ron Alexander of the Chicago branch of Ghostbusters." **Ghostbusters Annual 2017 ***Haunted America: A Prairie Hell Companion ****Alluded to by Peter on page 17 ****Mentioned by Melanie on page 17 ***Second City Ghostbusters **Ghostbusters 101 ***Ghostbusters 101 #3 ****Alluded to by Janine Melnitz on page 13 Janine Melnitz (2017). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters 101 #3" (2017) (Comic p.13). Janine Melnitz says: "Interns, a branch in Chicago, a liaison agent with the FBI... we're lousy with people these days, and I get to stay far away from the slime." **Ghostbusters Annual 2018 **Ghostbusters Crossing Over ***Issue #1 ****Alluded to on What Came Before. What Came Before Page (2018). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #1" (2018) (Comic What came before page). Narrator says: "Not the ones they've met in other realities, and not their own satellite branch in Chicago." ***Issue #2 ***Issue #3 ***Issue #6 ****Alluded to by Ron on page 1.Ron Alexander (2018). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #6" (2018) (Comic p.1). Ron Alexander says: "Knew I should've stayed with my team." **Ghostbusters: Deviations ***On page 36, the recap mentions how the Ghostbusters went on to continue - and expand - their practice, a nod to the Chicago Ghostbusters. Meanwhile in our Main Series (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters: Deviations" (2016) (Comic p.36). Line reads: "The boys in gray went on to continue - and expand - their practice, traveling across the United States, and taking on more help." References Gallery ChicagoGhostbusters02.jpg|As seen in Volume 2 Issue #5 ChicagoGhostbusters01.jpg|As seen in Volume 2 Issue #7 ChicagoGhostbusters03.jpg|As seen in Volume 2 Issue #12 ChicagoGhostbusters04.jpg|As seen in Volume 2 Issue #12 ChicagoGhostbusters05.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #13 ChicagoGhostbusters06.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #16 ChicagoGhostbusters07.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #18 ChicagoGhostbusters09.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters International #9 ChicagoGhostbusters10.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Annual 2017 "Second City Ghostbusters" ChicagoGhostbusters11.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Annual 2017 "Second City Ghostbusters" ChicagoGhostbusters12.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Annual 2017 "Second City Ghostbusters" ChicagoGhostbusters13.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Annual 2017 "Second City Ghostbusters" CrossingOverVirtualTradingCard15ChicagoGB.jpg|As seen on Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card #15, 4/10/18 ChicagoGhostbusters14.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #2 Category:IDW Characters